Browsing by Author "Martens, Monica L."
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Item An Analysis of the Reading Achievement Outcomes of Students with Disabilities Learning in the General Education Setting(2022-05-16) Henry, Carolyn Triray; Hawkins, Jacqueline; Malechuk, Brian; de Zell Hall, Linda; Martens, Monica L.Background/ Problem Statement: United States federal education legislation mandates that students with disabilities (SWD) receive instruction in the same classrooms as their peers without disabilities as much as possible. Recent data indicate that most of the students who receive special education services are being taught in the inclusive instructional environments; however, there are few examples of improved student outcomes. With increasing numbers of SWDs receiving instruction in regular classrooms, there is a need to assess the efficacy of inclusive programs and change the current processes to improve outcomes for SWDs. Purpose/ Research Questions: This study examined the achievement outcomes of fourth grade SWDs and investigated whether there were differences in reading performance that resulted from instructional setting and/or their primary disability condition. Specifically, the study provided responses to the following research questions (RQs). RQ1: How well do fourth grade students in special education perform on the STAAR reading assessment? RQ2: To what extent are there differences in the initial performance of fourth grade students in special education who receive instruction in inclusion and resource instructional settings on the STAAR fourth grade reading assessment? RQ3: What is the association between the primary disability of fourth grade students in special education and their categorical outcomes on the STAAR fourth grade reading assessment? Methods: Archival student data including instructional setting, primary disability category, STAAR performance categories, and scale scores were analyzed. Comparisons of outcomes by instructional setting and primary disability were made using cross tabulations and Chi-square tests to determine their independent effects on the students’ performance scores in reading. Results/Findings: No significant differences were found in reading performance outcomes of SWDs by where they received their reading instruction or their primary disability condition. Data suggested that irrespective of their instructional setting or primary condition, the students were more likely to be unsuccessful. Given the large proportion of SWDs who failed the fourth grade reading test, graphic illustrations of student performance in relation to state standards were provided for the district. This process helps to demonstrate the gap in reading performance for SWDs. Conclusion: The majority of SWDs in this study were not successful in reading. Irrespective of the location of instruction or the primary disability, the instructional support was not sufficient to generate successful outcomes. Strengthening instruction throughout all systems of support is recommended. The findings suggest that developing processes that determine the highly individualized needs of SWDs will be paramount in developing effective systems of support to embed into the general education curriculum. Additionally, educators must grow their capacity to identify instructional strategies that support students’ academic deficits. It is of the utmost importance that the district works towards better understanding this problem and identifying key levers for change.Item Disability Outcomes in a Public Charter School System: The Search for Consistency and Equity(2022-12-19) Posey, Alyson L.; Hawkins, Jacqueline; Malechuk, Brian; Martens, Monica L.; Cheramie, GailBackground: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires schools to find and identify students with disabilities. Special education evaluations, Full and Individual Evaluations (FIE), are completed to identify and confirm eligibility for disability conditions. In the state of Texas, these FIEs are commonly completed by Educational Diagnosticians and Licensed Specialists in School Psychology (LSSPs). The guidelines for the identification of disabilities are vague at both the federal and state level, leaving room for interpretation by the individual evaluator. This may lead to the inconsistent identification of disabilities. The fidelity of evaluations can impact the services provided to students with disabilities and disproportionality of students who receive special education services. Purpose: The goals of this study were to analyze data from a large charter school system in the state of Texas to (a) describe the students in special education and their primary disability category, race, and gender, (b) describe the students in special education and their primary disability category, race, and gender within each of the individual districts within the large charter school system in Texas, (c) compare the differences of students with disabilities within the individual districts within the large charter school system in Texas. Methods: The sample for this study included students aged 6 through 21 who attended a charter school system in Texas on the fall PEIMS Snapshot date for the 2019–2020 school year. Deidentified student data was collected from the charter school system’s data management system and district demographic information was collected from the 2019-2020 Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR). The design of this quantitative study was descriptive and causal comparative. Descriptive data and graphic representations of data were provided for visual analysis. Results: The overall charter system’s disability rates are inconsistent with national and state ratios. Both gender and racial disproportionalities existed within the charter school system as a whole. When investigated individually, the districts had inconsistencies in the identification of disabilities. Gender and racial disproportionality existed within each district. Although some primary disability conditions were more conducive to gender equality, all had more males identified than females. Generally, Hispanic students are overidentified with specific learning disability, Black students are overidentified with intellectual disability, and white students are overidentified with emotional disturbance. Conclusion: The charter school system followed some trends consistent with literature and had trends in direct opposition of most literature. Overall, there were inconsistencies in the proportions of students identified with disabilities in each district in both race and gender. The data gathered and these areas of inconsistency are the first areas to target moving forward.Item Examining Behavioral Interventions and Strategies that Support Students with Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Disabilities and their Effectiveness for Future Success(2022-12-21) Manuel, Whitney; Hawkins, Jacqueline; Carp, Charlotte L.; Hudson, Kelly; Martens, Monica L.Background: For students with behavior intervention plans (BIPs), the need for behavior interventions at early stages and throughout their educational careers is vital to their future success, society’s competitiveness, and successful, safe, and positive educational environments. Without proper teacher development or implementation of behavior interventions, disproportionate numbers of minority students are being identified with emotional disorders, dropout rates increase, chronic absenteeism is evident in schools, the exclusionary removals of students from the educational setting increase, or levels of engagement in criminal activity are higher. Due to COVID-19, there has been a recent spike in behavioral concerns in schools and school districts across the United States. Purpose: This study aimed to examine and compare the functions of behaviors that appear on functional behavior assessments and the frequency of behaviors amongst students with disabilities with behavior intervention plans. The district under study was a mid-size urban school district in Texas that serves students in grades Early Childhood through twelve. As a result of determining what students need, this study aimed to present evidence-based interventions that can build teacher capacity to support the success of this group of students. This study sought to answer the following research questions: 1) What functions of behaviors are exhibited on the behavior intervention plans of students with emotional and behavioral disabilities? 2) What are the frequencies of the behaviors displayed on behavior intervention plans? 3) How do the functions of behavior for individuals with emotional and behavioral disabilities exhibited on the behavior intervention plan differ amongst the disability categories? 4) How do the functions of behavior for individuals with behavior intervention plans differ by grade level? 5) How do the functions of behavior for individuals with behavior intervention plans differ by school level—elementary/secondary? Method: This quantitative study first described the functions of behaviors as identified by the functional behavior assessment, the intensity, and frequencies of those behaviors that appear on students’ behavior intervention plans in grades K-12. The study then compared the findings from this information amongst disability categories, grade level, and school level. These outcomes will help district personnel to tailor professional development for teachers that relate to evidence-based interventions that support the unique needs of students by disability, grade, and campus level. Results: During the 2021-2022 school year, data revealed that students with an emotional disturbance, as their primary disability, presented as the second most likely to appear. The data also revealed that escape activity/tangible and obtain attention are the most prevalent functions of behavior across the six functions. The final discovery from this data was that most of the students in the sample had one to two functions of behavior listed in their BIPs. Conclusion: The need for effective behavior interventions is key to student success in school and in their personal lives. BIPs that are targeted and include individualized interventions that are derived from implementation of culturally responsive teaching and learning can push students towards a decrease in problem behaviors and towards the success that society encourages. An actionable plan for implementation of culturally responsive teaching and learning is included.Item Persistence to a STEM Degree: Analyzing the Perceptions, Academic Experiences, and Study Behaviors of Freshmen Students to Guide Future Retention Strategies(2021-05) Martens, Monica L.; Hawkins, Jacqueline; Pattison, Donna; Hassett, Kristen S.; Messa, Emily A.Background: In higher education it has been difficult not only to attract students to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) majors but also to address the challenges that prevent degree completion. Broadly, these challenges concern course experiences, support systems, and the self-regulation of learning. Feeling confident and engaged is important. This research brings into focus the experiences of freshmen in foundational STEM courses at the University of Houston who were taught by faculty involved in a multiyear project to improve retention. Purpose: The goals of this study were to analyze data from end-of-semester student surveys in order to (a) summarize how respondents described their experiences; (b) understand if students moved out of or into a STEM major in later semesters; (c) determine any differences between first-generation (FG) and continuing-generation (CG) respondents; (d) determine any differences between respondents who were participants in Recitation sessions and respondents who were not; and (e) investigate the relationship between course outcomes, study behaviors, and course experiences. Methods: The sample comprised first-time-in-college freshmen who completed either a foundational biology or physics course during spring or fall in 2016 or 2017. The research design was quasi-experimental and explored associations and relationships among variables using Pearson’s chi-square test of independence, independent samples t tests, and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results: On average, respondents were more positive than negative about their course experiences and future career plans, as well as their capacity to engage in a variety of learning strategies. Regarding procrastination, they indicated meeting deadlines, but were less positive about avoiding procrastination habits. Next, while there was attrition out of STEM majors, some non-STEM majors switched into STEM. Concerning group differences, FG respondents had more responsibilities outside of college, for care of family and work. Recitation respondents had more responsibility for care of family. FG respondents reported less confidence and more procrastination tendencies. Recitation respondents reported less confidence, a greater tendency to study with others or ask for help, and a greater impact on the semester from procrastination. For all respondents, a better grade outcome—earning a grade of A or B instead of a C—was linked to positive study habits and lower procrastination tendencies. The same outcome was associated with greater confidence, passion for the course subject, and a sense of belonging in the class. These three aspects were also related to all positive study habits, in particular those that related to making connections among content and with one’s prior knowledge. Conclusion: Higher confidence levels and a sense of belonging in a learning community, which were shown to be different for some respondents, likely have important positive effects on students’ success and persistence in college. Study strategies may play a role. Study strategies encompass a broad range of actions—from time management and rote memorization to self-appraisal of learning and connecting content within a single course to one’s prior experiences. This latter aspect had the strongest associations with feelings of confidence, belonging, and passion for a subject. Therefore, it is this aspect of learning that seems the most strategic target of future program improvements.Item Struggling Adolescent Readers: Profiles and Growth for the Middle Grades(2022-12-23) Pierce, Kathryn Lynn; Santi, Kristi L.; Harmon, MaryCatherine; Hassett, Kristen S.; Martens, Monica L.Background: Literacy affords many benefits that impact an individual’s access to learning, decision making, life choices, and independence. Adolescent students with reading difficulties experience significant limitations to postsecondary opportunities due to poor literacy skills, and the lack of adequate supports for reading instruction at the secondary level exacerbates reading challenges. This study addressed reading performance trends between subgroups and determined the impact of tiered methods of support through reading intervention programming for adolescent struggling readers. Purpose: The goals of this analysis were (a) to understand what percentage of grade 6 students who were reading below grade level remain reading below grade level by grade 8 within a large suburban school district in Texas; (b) to examine the relationship between students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) in reading and students who qualify for 504 services for dyslexia; and (c) to determine if evidence-based reading intervention programming that offers explicit, systematic, direct instruction in reading improves fluency rates. Method: This quantitative study used a causal-comparative design to determine percentages of students reading below grade level over a three-year period. In a group comparison design, STAAR Reading scores were compared between the selected subgroups of students. In a single-case research design, students with varying reading difficulties were provided McGraw-Hill’s SRA Corrective Reading B2 reading curriculum targeting reading fluency for 13-weeks. Results: Overall, 63.17% of the 543-student sample entered grade 6 reading below grade level and remained reading below grade level by grade 8. Independent sample t-tests showed students with dyslexia outperformed students with SLD consistently on STAAR. Paired sample t-tests showed strong correlation between the 49-student subgroup population and statistically significant higher STAAR scale scores on grade 8 than grade 6. Pretest and posttest measures before and after the single-case design intervention phase showed statistical significance on grade level reading skills. Conclusion: Appropriate reading practices for adolescent struggling readers are necessary. An improvement science approach to target literacy intervention in the middle grades can guide school districts towards continuous improvement. Network Improvement Communities can mold multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) frameworks through small-scale Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles targeted at specific adolescent struggling reader profiles.Item The Pinnacle of College Readiness Initiatives: An Examination of the Impact Early College High Schools have on Students from Underrepresented Minority Populations in Texas(2022-12-23) Lane, Jeremy R.; Hawkins, Jacqueline; Martens, Monica L.; Hernandez DeCuir, Karla; Johnson, Jason K.Background: Students from underrepresented populations are less likely to be college-ready high school graduates. Research indicates only 20% of Black students are college ready at graduation, and less than that—only 16%—of Hispanic students are college ready at the time of graduation. Early College High Schools (ECHS) strive to support underrepresented students in education by improving high school graduation rates and ensuring they are college ready at graduation. There are 300 ECHS campuses in the United States, the state of Texas is home to over 180 campuses. Purpose: This study evaluated college readiness by investigating students’ scholastic achievements and postsecondary enrollment in an institution of higher education (IHE) after graduating from an ECHS in Texas. Specifically, this study responded to the following research questions (RQs). RQ1: What were the percentage rates of early college high school graduates in the class of 2018 for Black (African American), Hispanic (Latinx), and economically disadvantaged students who acquired three college credit hours in English Language Arts or Math, or nine hours in any subject? RQ2: Of those who graduated in the class of 2018 from early college high schools in Texas, what percentage of Black (African American), Hispanic (Latinx), and economically disadvantaged students were college-ready based on proficiency in both the English Language Arts and Math sections on the Texas Success Initiative Assessment? RQ3: Of those who graduated in the class of 2018 from early college high schools in Texas, what percentage of Black (African American), Hispanic (Latinx), and economically disadvantaged students earned an Associate degree? RQ 4: What proportion of Black (African American), Hispanic (Latinx), and economically disadvantaged students who attended an ECHS in Texas and were part of the graduating class of 2018 enrolled in a Texas institution of higher education? Method: Archival student data from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) including, district, high school, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, high school graduation, college credit hours earned, TSIA performance, earning of an associate degree, and enrollment in a Texas IHE was analyzed. Results: Approximately 18% of ECHS graduates from underrepresented populations acquired three college credit hours in English Language Arts or Math, or nine hours in any subject. Nearly 18% of all ECHS graduates from underrepresented populations were deemed college ready based on their proficiency of both English Language Arts and Math sections of the TSIA. Of the ECHS graduates investigated, 5% of the population earned an associate degree prior to graduation from an ECHS. Half of all the ECHS graduates identified enrolled at a Texas IHE in the fall term of their graduating year. Conclusion: This study supports research that indicates ECHS students have access to a rigorous high school curriculum, can earn college credit before graduation, and save on future tuition costs. It is evident that there are areas for improvement within the ECHS initiative. However, it is a viable path toward college readiness and aid in expanding the pipeline of students from underrepresented populations enrolling in postsecondary programs. Action plans for differentiated supports in IHEs are provided.Item Using Employee Characteristics to Analyze the Potential Role that Burnout Plays in Staff Turnover at Texas’ Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD)(2023-05-16) Estepani, Teo; Hawkins, Jacqueline; Martens, Monica L.; Hassett, Kristen S.; Gillman-Rich, LynnBackground: Voluntary turnover via burnout is a major factor in the hinderance of many juvenile justice employees, even more so with direct service providers (DSPs). Employees experiencing burnout tend to be absent more frequently and eventually leave. Those who remain experience heavier workloads and in turn become vulnerable to burnout. This creates costly labor shortages for organizations, affects the delivery of services to juvenile clients, and ultimately can impact recidivism of juveniles. Purpose: This study examined data from the statewide Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD). The purpose was to help identify TJJD employee vulnerabilities to burnout based on their characteristics. The research questions were: 1) To what extent are employees leaving the workforce voluntarily or involuntarily? 2) To what extent is there a difference in exit rates of TJJD employees based on job type? 3) How do employee factors such as gender, race, annual salary, and time of employment contribute to voluntary and involuntary turnover? When employees experience burnout, the quality-of-their work decreases. Burnt out employees are increasingly exhausted, conserving their energies to remain in defense mode, withdrawn, and not fully engaged with their clients. Consequently, their orientations are more punitive and less rehabilitative. Juveniles need to be provided with a facilitative environment, to become inherently motivated to grow and make positive change. Methods: The sample comprised TJJD employees who left the department during 2011–2021. The research design was quantitative and causal comparative. It explored associations and relationships using descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, Pearson's chi-square test of independence, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: Nearly 75% of TJJD employee turnover is voluntary. Job type was a significant factor in the rate of turnover, with DSP custodial employees exiting the department at much higher rates. Black employees accounted for over half of all employee terminations via involuntary turnover. Also, the combination of gender and race was a factor. Black female employees and Hispanic male employees were most at risk for turnover. Finally, as others have found, time of employment is a significant factor for employee turnover; 40% of all employee turnover came within the first year of hire. Conclusion: This research revealed certain employee vulnerabilities; these place them at higher risk of burning out. This informati15on can be helpful to juvenile justice systems that must better guide their efforts to support employees at higher risk of turnover. Targeting these populations with specific training and supportive programs can help assure better retention rates to combat staff shortages, thus improving services to juveniles. If juvenile justice systems do not attend to this, the rates of recidivism will continue to go unchallenged.